C.J. Leslie was disappointed Thursday when all 30 teams passed over him in the NBA draft

There’s a line of thinking that says it’s better not to get drafted at all than to be one of the final few players selected at the end of the last round.

The idea is it’s more beneficial to have the freedom of picking and choosing a team based on need and fit as an undrafted free agent than getting tied down to one particular organization that may or may not have a spot for you.

There’s a lot of logic to the theory. Unless, that is, you were chosen as the ACC’s preseason Player of the Year and projected as a certain first-round choice only a few months earlier.

In that case, getting passed over by all 30 NBA teams – in both the first and second rounds – isn’t an opportunity at all.

Quite the opposite.

For former N.C. State star C.J. Leslie, who passed up his final season of college eligibility to enter what was generally considered a weak draft, Thursday night’s rejection was the culmination of a wasted opportunity the likes of which has rarely been seen in the ACC.

It was the crash landing of a three-year freefall that saw Leslie go from being one of the most sought-after prospects in the nation to an unwanted talent saddled with the worst possible label a player can be given – that of an unmotivated prima donna with an attitude problem.

Warranted or not, it’s a reputation for which Leslie has no one but himself to blame. He earned it with his wildly inconsistent play, emotional on-court outbursts, poor decision-making skills and a “me-first” mindset enhanced by a pair of suspensions during a career that left Wolfpack fans both thrilled and frustrated.

They are flaws not even a 13.7 career scoring average, 7.3 rebounds per game or an unlimited amount of athletic ability could gloss over.

Bullock

And unlike North Carolina’s Reggie Bullock, who seemingly came out of nowhere to earn first-round selection by the Los Angeles Clippers thanks to the favorable impression he made during predraft workouts, Leslie did little to stop the red flags that were waving all around him. That includes opting out of the NBA’s Scouting Combine with what was described as a hand injury.

The NBA draft isn’t a popularity contest or a means of validation for those coming out of college with the most hype. It’s about teams looking for players they think will help them win.

Period.

Though general managers will sometimes take a chance in the second round on a player thought to be ‘tweener – as Leslie is – or as a developmental project, they almost always steer clear of marginal players identified as having character issues.

The fact that every one of them thought there were 60 players better suited than Leslie to helping their teams win speaks volumes.

CJ Leslie averaged over 17 points and seven rebounds per game in his N.C. State career

That’s not to say the two-time All-ACC selection can’t or won’t get a shot at becoming a successful NBA player. As former UNC rival and current San Antonio Spurs sharpshooter Danny Green has proven, the first round of the draft isn’t the only road to professional stardom.

Leslie’s alternate route will begin this summer as an undrafted free agent with the New York Knicks. He signed with the team shortly after the draft ended.

But because his challenge involves factors such as hustle and attitude almost as much as it does blocking shots and putting the ball in the basket, his journey will likely include a detour to either the D-League or overseas.

That’s the last place Leslie figured to be at this point in his career. Under the circumstances, it could end up being the best thing for him.

If the one-time star can show he’s capable of setting aside his ego, stepping out of the spotlight and doing things the hard way, he can begin the process of dispelling the reputation that forced him into this situation in the first place.

Only then will he finally get the opportunity that was denied him Thursday.

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